Friday, April 28, 2006

Buck Roe DeerOne of four male Wheatears. This bird appears to be a Greenland-race bird.I got up early and popped along to Serpentine Brick Pit today (28.4.06). The first thing I saw (as I parked) was a Roe Deer, a species I have seen on very few occasions, locally. One of the great things about digiscoping is the distance you can reach with the kit; I was able to take a few shots of it as it wandered into a field and grazed and it was completley oblivious of my presence, crouched about 100m away with my outline masked by a bush. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing next to the entrance, the first I have heard this year, and one of four I heard on my brief walk. Other highlights included a pair of Marsh Harriers over, a mewing Buzzard and four male Wheatears. I think we are getting into the Greenland Wheatear season now. It has been an amazing spring for the species so far, with more than 200 birds recored in the PBC area so far...Canon Powershot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Whinchat, Nene Washes, 22.4.06Meadow Pipit, Nene Washes, 22.4.06Sedge Warbler, Nene Washes, 22.4.06Greenland-type Wheatear, Serpentine Brick Pit, 22.4.06 (photographed at 8pm in darkness!)Whinchat, Serpentine Brick Pit, 23.4.06Wheatear, Serpentine Brick Pit, 23.4.06Wheatear (male), Baston & Langtoft pits, 24.4.06Wheatear (female), Baston & Langtoft pits, 24.4.06Some diary-type notes.Friday 21.4.06Twitched Ring Ouzel at Deeping Lakes pre-work (ta Will). Lunchtime with Brian Stone, bagged two adult Little Gulls at Ferry Meadows. I popped into Orton Brick Pit in the evening and heard my first Cukoo and Nightingale of the year.Saturday 22.4.06Early mornign at Ferry Meadows: highlights were a Cuckoo, Garden Warbler and a brief view of a non-singing Grasshopper Warbler. In teh afternoon twitched a superb male Whinchat on the Nene Washes. In the evening, I visited Serpentine Brick Pit where there were five Wheatears including a Greenland-style male [later heard that an Osprey flew near my house while I was looking at Wheatears].Sunday 23.4.06Cycled down the central drove of the Nene Washes. Highlight was a Whimbrel, the first I have seen on the deck, locally. There were five Wheatears around. Later I returned to Sperpentine, where a male Whinchat was among nine Wheatears (two female) and I saw my first Hobby of the year. Monday 24.4.06Quick visit to Baston and Langtoft, where I heard and saw a Nightingale and watched two Wheatears [as I watched the Nightingale, a SPotted Redshank paseed me by, adding to my collection of recent grips...].Canon Powershot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Kevin Durose found this unusual, grey-backed, white-wing-barred, white-bellied Yellow Wagtail, impersonating a Citrine Wagtail at Maxey Pits. There have been a few similar birds reported around the country. Is it just that birders are scrutinising wagtails more closely, or is it a genuine trend? I photographed this bird on 14.4.06. Click for larger images.Canon Powershot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

This drake Green-winged Teal has eluded me at Woodwalton Fen for weeks. I finally caught up with it, thanks to the eagle eyes of Mark Ward, on Saturday, 15.4.06. Of course, two days later, Mark found another two on the Nene Washes...Canon Powershot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER